Add “American Idol” alum Clay Aiken to the long list of celebrities who think they should replace Simon Cowell on Fox’s hit singing competition.

In a new interview with Billboard.com, the season 2 runner-up says, “I've always thought it would be a great addition to the panel to have someone who's a former contestant and knows what it's like to be up on that stage and be critiqued."

Though 31-year-old Aiken is already plenty busy promoting his new album “Tried & True” and touring this summer with second-season “Idol” champ Ruben Studdard, he says he’d be happy to take the Cowell spot if asked.

"I would not put myself out there to be as caustic as [Cowell] is, but if they want to call me, bring it on,” he said. “We can talk."

“Avatar” may not have won the Oscar for best film this year, but it did sweep the 36th annual Saturn Awards.

The James Cameron film took home 10 trophies, including best science fiction film presented by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films at the Castaway restaurant in Burbank according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The sci-fi mega-hit also earned best actor and actress honors for its stars Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana.

Pete Quaife, the original bassist of the Kinks, has died, according to bandmate Ray Davies. Quaife was 66.

Quaife died of kidney failure Wednesday in Herlev, Denmark. He moved to Denmark in 2005 after many years in Canada. He had recently gotten engaged to his partner, Elisabeth.

"I am overwhelmed with emotion- I literally can't speak- we might never have done any of this without him," said Kinks guitarist Dave Davies in a statement on his website, davedavies.com. "The Kinks were never really the Kinks without you."

Being a celebrity may have its perks, but as Jason Bateman learned, that’s not always a good thing.

The actor was one of more than 2,000 people who lined up outside an Apple store in L.A. yesterday to purchase the highly coveted new iPhone 4. But the Hollywood star didn’t spend much time among the little people – Us Weekly reports that the former “Arrested Development” star, 41, was escorted out of line and into the store.

“Everyone literally started booing and hissing,” an eyewitness told the magazine of the angry mob. And Bateman’s reaction? “He put his head down,” another onlooker said.

The American Black Film Festival is being held in that city and quite a few black Brits showed up in support and celebration of the festival’s ambassador, actor Idris Elba.

Elba, best known for his work on HBO’s “The Wire” and NBC’s “The Office,” has been making the rounds at the festival where he has two films, the action-thriller “Takers” and “Legacy,” where he plays a mentally unstable Black Ops operative.